Scarlett (Sze Kai) Paau, DSOM, Dipl. of OM/LAc
Born and raised in a traditional family in Beijing, I have had the fortune to be immersed in a culture of Chinese medicine since childhood. Chinese medicine has been a natural part of my life, and I have studied with several renowned Daoist alchemists, Qi Gong masters, and Chinese medicine practitioners for many years before my study of classical Chinese medicine at National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM) in Portland, Oregon.
By gaining knowledge in both biomedicine and holistic medicine over the years, I have become aware that mainstream Western medicine has adopted a deductive view on how to treat diseases. However, this perspective has led its medicine to a pharmaceutical-surgical based approach of symptom management, which has revealed many shortcomings and disadvantages. Sometimes the side effects of medications burden the body a lot more than the diseases themselves do.
My belief in the philosophy of holistic medicine deepens as I continue my scholarly research and clinical practice. As I witness people’s health improve with the assistance of holistic medicine, I feel confident that the ancient art and science of holistic medicine may provide solutions to many unresolved puzzles in the modern world of healthcare. I integrate my academic research on cosmology of classical Chinese medicine with my clinical practice, in the hope of decoding the ancient scientific symbolism that correlates the macrocosm of nature with the microcosm of the human body.
As a practitioner, I focus on the complementary treatment of difficult and stubborn diseases, including rare diseases, oncological conditions, allergies, autoimmune disorders, acute and chronic infections, acute and chronic pain, dermatological disorders, cardiovascular disorders, pulmonary disorders, digestive disorders, children’s health, men’s health, women’s health. My practice is not limited to treating serious disorders. It brings me joy to assist anybody who is willing to receive the therapeutic benefits from holistic medicine.
I am convinced that the body embodies the wisdom of the cosmic consciousness, and that the key to a successful treatment is to be a good body-whisperer, and I have been cultivating my capacity of “listening” – a virtue of a highly skilled practitioner. Oku Acupuncture & Herbs is the manifestation of my belief that modern humans can, and must, support their health in harmony with nature. My dream of reviving the life-nurturing traditions and bringing together the most effective holistic healing modalities from all over the world comes to life at Oku Acupuncture & Herbs.
When outside of work, I enjoy practicing Tai Ji & Qi Gong, mushroom foraging, fishing, and translating ancient Chinese medical manuscripts into English so that people in the West can also benefit from the long-forgotten wisdom of the ancient people.